Catholic social tips
February is dedicated to the Holy Family in our faith tradition. I was recently at a planning meeting to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Catholicism’s arrival in our islands. Celebrating Hawaii’s diverse cultures is part of the heritage that unites us in faith and as a Catholic family.
There is such beauty in each culture’s practice of the faith. Many elements woven into the faith customs of various cultures have been incorporated into the Diocese of Honolulu’s broader faith traditions over the centuries.
For so many, the customs have become involuntary responses to the liturgical seasons we celebrate. As our elders are going home to the Lord in greater numbers, it is important not only to maintain customs in their honor but also to “talk story” about their origins and the meaning they hold for the family.
In many cultures, it is considered taboo to discuss family challenges or scandals. However, it is important for members to understand how the power and practice of faith have helped a family overcome adversity. Why does your family cook a certain dish for the feast day of a saint or holy holiday?
Early catechesis in the islands was conducted through Hawaiian chant (mele) and through images — one of the most visible examples of the latter is St. Benedict Church, “The Painted Church,” in Honaunau, Hawaii island. Paintings throughout the church’s interior reflect stories of the faith to catechize new members.
In Chinese culture, the Lunar New Year is celebrated with Masses that may include processions featuring lions, the distribution of red envelopes and the veneration of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and companions. In Filipino culture, the devotions of Flores de Mayo on Oahu and Barrio Fiesta on Maui honor the Blessed Mother; Filipino Catholics also venerate St. Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod. Japanese Catholics hold great honor in their ancestry and revere the communion of saints, especially the patron of their culture, St. Paul Miki.
In my Master’s in Theology program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, we are studying the origins of early Christian practices and their subsequent integration into the global Catholic Church practices. Two thousand years later, as God’s word spreads to all peoples of the world, theologians continue to absorb the cultures of others into parish life and diocesan liturgical celebrations.
It is so important for the generations now coming of age to feel a distinct connection to their Catholic faith, and parents are the first catechists in their lives. Perhaps a good way to start a conversation that leads to an opportunity to discuss your own family story is to ask your children, “Why do we do …?”
If the answer is because we have to or because it’s tradition, or it’s an answer that doesn’t help them have a deeper meaning of a practice, then you have some explaining to do.
Many people watch the Olympics and cheer on athletes with whom they have a connection, whether by nationality, gender, race or personal story. Help your children find a connection to their faith that makes them proud to live and profess it to the world, and help them know that they come from a family that carries an Olympic torch of faith.
Sherry Hayes-Peirce is a Catholic social media consultant based in Southern California.